Method and appliance for recording information

ABSTRACT

An appliance for recording information on media such as precut receiving cards. The appliance includes an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;in&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; tray, an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;out&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; tray, a recording area, preferably a recording instrument and a holder for it, a card guidance system, at least partly separate, linking the recording area to each tray, and preferably means of attaching a reading table.

Umted States Patent [191 [111 3,873,011 Tsuk, 1 Mar. 25, 1975 METHOD AND APPLIANCE FOR 3,054,544 9/1962 Pnrtington .4 225/93 RECORDING INFORMATION 3,240,409 3/1966 Harris 225/93 3,633,803 I/1972 Knurganoff 225/93 [76] Inventor: Janos A. Tsuk, 19 Rue de lAlouette 94 Maude France Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost [22] Filed: Apr. 17, 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hubbe11, Cohen & Stiefel [21] Appl. No.: 244,491

7 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 225/93 An appliance for recording information on media such [51] Int. Cl. G06k 21/06 as precut receiving cards [58] Field of Search 225/93, 1; 30/358; 269/15, Th l d 269/16 293; 35/48 R; 40/78 e app lance me u es an m tray, an out tray, a recordmg area, preferably a recording Instrument and [561' 26321::1:31;;5535:3331?51 21 52111132.5231

UNITED STATES PATENTS preferab ly means of attaching a reading table. 1,871,597 8/1932 English 225/93 UX 2,923,452 2/1960 Holovka, Jr. 225/93 11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3.873.011

sum 2 pg 2 F/G.5 I97 METHOD AND APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING INFORMATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an improved method and appliance for recording-information on media such as precut receiving cards.

Conventional methods and appliances for recording information have many drawbacks, and the present invention offers improvements to an existing appliance and a new method of using this appliance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION each tray, and preferably means forattaching a reading table.

The in and out trays are preferably superimposed.

' The guidance system between the in tray and recording area preferably includes at least part of a lengthwise partition, and two side slides connecting the tray and regard n eai W. i In one embodiment of the invention, the part of the lengthwise partition partly forming the guidance system between the in tray and recording area is equipped with a system for distributing the cards one after another, preferably by means of a lengthwise groove at the top of the partition, inside the in tray.

In one embodiment of the invention, the guidance system between the recording area and out tray includes a lengthwise groove below the section of partition, combined with side guidance devices, which are at least partly specific connecting the recording area and out tray.

The recording area preferably includes a supporting table with a punch surface, and may include a chadrecovery system.

In one embodiment of the invention, the supporting tableincludes a punch surface, preferably covered by .sr the nsvebleer fixed. e... an evp sxi? mately of the same area as the cards which are fit on In one embodiment of the invention, the punch surface is made of separate lengthwise rods, the ends of which are attached to the support table; intervening devices helping to attach these rods may be provided, including stays, braces, side-members etc.

The grid is preferably a plate containing as many perforations as the maximum number of holes possible in the receiving medium or card, and preferably the same shape as the chads on the cards.

In one embodiment of the invention, the upper sides of these rods are covered the support strips, preferably made of anelastic material, which fit on to the rods by means of an inside groove provided for the purpose.

In one mbodiment of the invention, the v chadrecovery system includes a separate drawer beneath he upport table. I

In another embodiment of the invention, the recording instrument is a pointed instrument, for which a separate holder may be provided, and comprises a handle and a point, with a bearing surface near the end farthest from the handle, the area of which is greater than that 2 of the chad to be detached, so that it prevents the instrument from penetrating to. more than a certain depth.

The point of the instrument is preferably rectangular in section.

Inanother embodiment of the invention, the point of the instrument, which comes into contact with the chad, is made slip-proof, to help prevent it slipping on the surface of the card.

In one embodiment of the invention, the appliance according to the invention includes means for attaching an analysis table to carry-items such as catalogues, the position of which is defined in relation to the punch surface.

In another embodiment ofthe invention, the defined position of items such as catalogues is marked by devices such as stops or pegs.

The invention also relates to a process for using such an appliance for recording information on precut receiving cards, in which a card ismoved from an in tray to a recording area, where it is superimposed on a punch surface, information is recorded on it by means of any suitable instrument, and it is then moved to an out tray.

The invention also concerns the use of this appliance to record orders, by recording information on a card placed on the punch surface, with reference to a catalogue on the analysis table, the position of which is defined in relation to the punch surface in such a way that the parallel lines on the catalogue match up with thos on the card.

Qthegairns:and advantagesof the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying figures, although the invention is in no way confined to them.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appliance of the present invention FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 ofFlG. l, with some parts deleted for clarity of illustration, showing how the cards are moved to the recording area;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a recording instrument according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is an end of the instrument of FIG. 3;

FIG, 5 is a view of the punch surface in perspective with parts deleted to more clearly illustrate other parts;

FIG. 6 is a end view of the punch surface;

FIG. 7 is an end view of a modified punch surface.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a grid suitable for use in the present invention, with only some of the holes therein shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERRED EMBODIMENTS the recording area 4, to allow information to be re-v corded on them, and then to the out tray 3, from which they are removed by opening the drawer 7, when required.

The in and out trays are connected with the recording area 4 by a guidance system which is at least partly Separate from the trays.

The guidance system between the in tray 2 and recording area 4 is formed of a lengthwise partition 9 and two side slides 10, sloping so as to guide the cards 8 towards the recording area, with side grooves 11 allowing the cards to enter the area. The lengthwise partition separates the tray 2 from the area 4; it is preferably tilted, for example at an angle of 100 to l60 to the lane of the cards, and has a distribution groove 12, at the top inside the tray, which allows the cards in the tray to be dispensed one by one.

A rim 13 on the perimeter of the other side edges of the tray helps to hold the cards in the tray. There is an opening 14 between the rim and partition 9, to allow the cards to be removed from the tray 2. The guidance system between the recording area 4 and out tray 3 includes a lengthwise groove 15 beneath the partition 9, side grooves 11 downward sloping and under sloping sides 10 said eguidance devices 16 fitted to the box 1 and preferably attached to the base of the partition 9.

The recording area 4 is made mainly of a support table 17 and may also include a chad-recovery device,

such as a drawer 18 underlying the support table 17.

The support table 17 includes a punch surface 19, shown'in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 which may be covered with a fixed or removable grid 20, shown in FIG. 8. The punch surface and the cards which fit on to it have approximately the same area, and edges 21 overlying the punch surface help to hold the cards in position.

As may best be seen in FIG. 5, the punch surface 19 is .formed of lengthwise rods 22, the ends 23 of which are attached to the support table 17, with intervening devices such as stays 24 helping to hold them steady.

The lengthwise rods 22 may be separate from one another asshown in FIG. 7, or, as shown in FIG. 6, they may be with connections 26 represented by dotted lines.

The upper sides-ofthe rods 22 may be-gyyered with;

lengthwise strips 25, preferably made of an elastic material'which fit on to the rods by means of interfitting gfooves provided for the purpose.

in FIG. 7), the grid is preferably fixed. If they are not separate (and the joints shown by dotted lines in FIG.

6 are included forming a base), the chad-recovery drawer is left out, and the rid is preferably removable, possibly sideways, to allow the chad to be recovered and removed. The grid, or if necessary-a card in the recording area 4, can be removed sideways through a side passage 27. The box 1 may include a slot 32, for insertion and removal of the grid, which may offer some means of grasping it, such as strips 33. This grid is not shown in FIG. 1'. Naturally, the side passage 27 can be used if necessary for the insertion of a card such as a master-card, namely a card punched according to given information, preferably written on the card'.

The recording instrument in FIG. 3 preferably is an elongated pointed instrument with a handle 28 and point 29, with a bearing surface 31 at the end 30 farthest from the handle, the area of which is greater than that of the chad to be detached, and which, when the point detaches the chad and in so doing penetrates through the card, comes to rest on the perimeter of the hole.

The lengthwise strips 25 on the punch surface are in contact with one another, and the pressure of the pointed instrument on the chad to be removed pushes the edges of the strips apart and lets the chad fall through into the space between the rods, and when adrawer 18 is present, into the drawer.

The point 29 is preferably rectangular in section, and the end 30, which is also rectangular, may be made slipproof by means of blunt protrusions 34, to prevent it from slipping over the surface of the card.

The box 1 may also carry threaded pins 38, by means of which a reading table 36 can be attached (usingbutterfly'screws, for instance). This table carries items such as catalogues, the position of which is defined in relation to the punch surface by means of pegs for instance.

The appliance operates as follows.

A series of precut cards 8 is stacked in the in tray 2, being retained thereby the rim 13 and partition 9. Naturally, the tray maybe a loading device attached to the box by some means provided for the purpose, such as, for example, a mortise on the box into which tenons on the sides of the loader can be inserted.

The top card in the tray is removed from the stack by placing ones fingers on it and sliding it out of the passage provided between the upper end of partition 9 and side slides 10. The lot 12 lets only one card through at a time.

The movement of the card towards the recording area 4 is helped by the side slides, which are tilted so as to guide the card towards the side grooves 11, between which it reaches the recording area.

The card fits on to the punch surface 19, being held there bythe edges 21. The punch surface and the card have roughly the same area. i

The operator then records the information to be entered on the card, using the holes on the card, or more precisely by detaching the chad from the recut posi tions corresponding to the information, with the pointed instrument 6.

Naturally, the appliance is so designed that the space between the edges of two adjoining strips of elastic material roughly corresponds to a line passing through the centers of the precut chad on the card.

The pointed instrument detaches the chad, and separates the edges 29 of the strips 25, causing the chad to fall into the space between the rods 22, where it is collected in the drawer 18.

If necessary, the punch surface 19 may be covered with a grid 20, containing the same number of perforations as the maximum number of holes possible on a card, and ofthe same shape. In this case, the chad is not pushed by the pointed instrument into the space between the rods 22, but remains between the card and punch surface 19. TI-le grid can then be removedby pulling the tongue 7, so that the chad in this space can be collected and, if necessary, any chad still attached to the card detached.

The bearing surface 31 on the pointed instrument prevents the instrument from penetrating too far through the card. It comes up against the areaaround the precut hole, so that there is no danger of it passing too far and possibly damaging the strips.

The advantage of this feature is specially underlinedp When the information has been recorded, the operator pushes the card in the opposite direction to the way in which it reached the area 4, so that it moves into the out tray 3, by passing into the groove 11, helped by the side guidance system 16.

The cards are recovered in the out tray 3, in other words in the drawer 7, which can be slid out in order to collect the punched cards.

The table 36 may carry a catalogue in a defined posi tion in relation to the punch surface, so that parallel lines on the catalogue correspond to those on the card.

The appliance according to the invention can also be used to record orders, with reference to a catalogue.

The side passage 27 allows a card on which information has been incorrectly recorded to be removed from the appliance This passage can also be used to insert a master punched card, containing data applying to a given product or customer. This information can then be transferred to the ordinary card by inserting the pointed instrument into the holes in the master card and detaching the corresponding chad on the precut receiving card beneath it.

Naturally, the invention is not confined to the embodiments described above: many variants are possible for a person skilled in the art, depending on the application involved, and without any departure from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An appliance for recording information on data receiving cards, comprising:

an in tray for releasably storing a plurality of said cards in tacked relation;

an out tray for releasably receiving said cards with recorded data hereon;

a data recording station; and

means for guiding said cards from said in tray to said recording station and from said recording station to said out tray.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said data receiving cards are precut cards for data rocessing machines, and said data recording station includes means for receiving the chad from aid precut data receiving cards upon the recording of information thereon by the removal of said chad.

3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein said in tray is disposed above and in superposed relation with said out tray,

4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein said guide means between said in tray and said data recording station includes an upwardly slanting wall of said in tray adjacent said data recording station, and a pair of downwardly extending slide guides located to overlie the end portion of said cards when said cards are between aid in tray and said data recording station.

5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein said upwardly slanting wall has a longitudinally extending groove therein for engaging cards as they are removed from aid in tray for limiting the cards to removal one at a time.

6. The appliance of claim 2, further comprising a prepunched grid overlying said data recording station.

7. The appliance of claim 2, wherein said data recording station comprises a pluralityof longitudinally extending spaced apart parallel rods and a plurality of transversely extending spaced apart parallel braces for said rods.

8. The appliances of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of elastic strips, one for each rod, mounted on said rods.

9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein said elastic strips have a horizontal portion extending about halfway to the adjacent rods, and said strips are mounted on said rods by means of a longitudinally extending groove complementary to aid rods.

10. The appliance of claim 2, wherein said means for receiving the chad is a slidable drawer.

11. The appliance of claim 2, further comprising a device for punching said precut data receiving cards including a handle; a pointed end mounted on said handle; and a bearing member having a bearing surface adjacent to and spaced from the end of said pointed end furthest from said handle, said bearing surface being longer than the precut holes.

=l i= i l 

1. An appliance for recording information on data receiving cards, comprising: an in tray for releasably storing a plurality of said cards in tacked relation; an out tray for releasably receiving said cards with recorded data hereon; a data recording station; and means for guiding said cards from said in tray to said recording station and from said recording station to said out tray.
 2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said data receiving cards are precut cards for data rocessing machines, and said data recording station includes means for receiving the chad from aid precut data receiving cards upon the recording of information thereon by the removal of said chad.
 3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein said tray is disposed above and in superposed relation with said ouT tray.
 4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein said guide means between said in tray and said data recording station includes an upwardly slanting wall of said in tray adjacent said data recording station, and a pair of downwardly extending slide guides located to overlie the end portion of said cards when said cards are between aid in tray and said data recording station.
 5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein said upwardly slanting wall has a longitudinally extending groove therein for engaging cards as they are removed from aid in tray for limiting the cards to removal one at a time.
 6. The appliance of claim 2, further comprising a prepunched grid overlying said data recording station.
 7. The appliance of claim 2, wherein said data recording station comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced apart parallel rods and a plurality of transversely extending spaced apart parallel braces for said rods.
 8. The appliances of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of elastic strips, one for each rod, mounted on said rods.
 9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein said elastic strips have a horizontal portion extending about half-way to the adjacent rods, and said strips are mounted on said rods by means of a longitudinally extending groove complementary to aid rods.
 10. The appliance of claim 2, wherein said means for receiving the chad is a slidable drawer.
 11. The appliance of claim 2, further comprising a device for punching said precut data receiving cards including a handle; a pointed end mounted on said handle; and a bearing member having a bearing surface adjacent to and spaced from the end of said pointed end furthest from said handle, said bearing surface being longer than the precut holes. 